Preemptive Strike: Breathe in The Light---OI, The Journey Home
by Carroll E. Stewart
Summary: One more second was all that OI required. Just one more...he could hold his enemies for the blink of an eye before ruination and everything that he believed in and loved fell out of his grasp and into the cold, dismal pit of chaos and sorrow. OI woke with a start! He always dreamed when he wore the human. Desperately he needed information, his bonded was countng on him.


_**The characters of the Southern Vampire Mysteries belong to Miss Charlaine Harris. No infringement on my part is intended.**_

_**The characters on True Blood belong to Mr. Alan Ball. No infringement on my part is intended.**_

_**I have no BETA, editor, or other such charming person. All mistakes are my own. **_

Breathe in The Light: OI, The Journey Home

One more second was all that OI required.

Just one more...he could hold them for the blink of an eye before ruination and everything that he believed in and loved fell out of his grasp and into the cold, dismal pit of chaos and sorrow.

...

OI woke with a start! He always dreamed when he wore the human. This was not his favorite form but he needed information. His bonded was counting on him. The Death from Above had been passed around and then the cask had been passed back to him. There came a point and time when you were drinking The Death that you should just excuse yourself and see who wanted to get laid. The Death was powerful and it went down easy. And there was still some Death to be swallowed and swallow it he did.

His bonded and he were going out tonight and he would be all dragon all the time, in human form. But that did not stop him from being OI, King of the Dragons! Anything or anyone try any shit around him or his, their mo' fo'n ass was his. Tonight was up close and personal. His big mans had on his ruby red slippers and he was smokin! They would owns New Orleans and them skanks that lived there just best be mindin' their own or he would be mindin' it for them. With pleasures...and maybe rolled up and smoked.

They were sure nuff's the advance party...as they were advance'n' their happy hour, happy selves to the bar and order 'n'up!

"My big mans, I ams lovin' this lobby for us and ours," he smiled as he admired the massive dragon fireplace. "This heres looks like a touches of home."

"M-m-m-h-m-m-m my little mans, it does it does. Looks like what you dones put in our tent. All dragon-ee with yous bad self.

You good with yous blues agave? Yous La La is gonna go gets us some more of them nasty little Pom-Pom shooters. I do not sees our gal Friday, anywheres. Lordies, I am hopin's she is fixing that garish lip-um-sticks she is trying to wear with out much success. That girl child is sacrin's me half to my graves."

"I'll be sittin' my fine self right heres," he smiled as he watched the hotel lobby in New Orleans from his advantage point on the mezzanine.

"Look at that fines lookin' family," OI chuckled to himself whenever his king came in carrying the twins and Prince Hunter was riding piggy-back style.

They had been out all morning looking at the sites of New Orleans and one in particular. Princess Pamela's mother was said to haunt the area. The family had gone to do a little walk-about to find this ghost and send her on her way to Hell before his darling daughter-in-law, gave birth to a set of twins, herself. "Good times," he chuckled as he thought about just what maybe he could do to a ghost before they sent her back to Hell. "No doubts abouts it, I gots skills," he chuckled.

His OI fineness was willing to bet their Queen could curse a ghost with the Living Death once she met this mo' fo'n bitch that had sold off their daughter to pay their gambling debts. And he would be the one to deliver the goods!

The family was going for a carriage ride, next. Their Prince Hunter had been studying about horses. He had apple slices at the ready if the carriage driver said it was would be just fine.

Checking the bond, he knew his La La had run into someone he had known and they were chatting along. M-m-m-m-h-m-m-m. Someone his big mans had knows at the university.

"Yous just go ahead and speaks you'se nasty assed lawyer speakage to my bonded," he chuckled. "Yous just gos ahead. He will kick your lawyer speakin' ass with verbage from The Realm of the Two Blue Moons."

Now that was interesting...in walked a tall blond man with braids. OI was intrigued. His visual and hearing were perfect and both were now perfectly trained on the 11th century Viking.

"We are checking into the Northman Suite."

OI sat up and leaned in. "What?" he and the tall blond both said at the same time.

"What do you mean the Northman party has checked in? I am Eric Northman and I am here with my wife and my mother and brother and our fourteen children. We have not checked in. My babies all wanted to go look at the beach and search for shells. My Sookie wanted to take photos of our babies looking for shells. It is a good thing that they are doing so now because I want whoever is in our suite moved out."

Well that might have sounded like a threat. OI took a sniff. Interesting. This man was a vampire and his wife's name was Sookie.

What the fuck?

"Samuel, my brother, you are required," and if OI would have blinked, he would have missed the tall Da'vid look alike that just vamped in. "I thought we owned this hotel," the big blond said to who could only be Brother Samuel. "Eric Northman and his family has checked into our suite," was hissed.

OI stood and walked down to the floor, keeping his eyes on the ruggedly good looking Viking. This one was bigger than his king. Perhaps broader in the shoulders and was battle hardened and his scars were more predominant. It was an interesting way he wore his braids. They were done in the fashion of Sookie the Shield Maiden.

"My lords," he said with a bow of his head.

"What?" the one who called himself Eric took a step forward. "There is no royalty here. I recognize your smell though, Fae. All though I do not recognize your family," and there in this Eric's hand was the biggest assed mo' fo'n sword that he, OI, King of the Dragons, had ever seen! And where in the fuck had it come from?

"I am OI," he bowed his head again, "King of the Dragons."

"Mother," was hissed by Eric and then there stood one of the ladies of the light.

"Madame," OI smiled and bowed from the waist.

"Oh fuck me," she smiled in return and said, "OI, you need to call your king. Get his ass in here so these two can talk. I am needed. The babies want to see dolphins." Then poof, she was gone.

There was a low growl that came form the Viking Eric and something that sounded like, "I am changing her last name to Northman. Then we'll see just who pops in and out on a whim."

"My King is on his way," I said with another grand sweeping bow. "And how sir, am I to introduce you?" I asked most humbly. "Have you a title?

"Hedrad Befalhavar Eric Northman," he replied. "Of the Northman Clan. This is my honored brother, Samuel, Da'vid."

"Of course honored ones, here comes my king now."

The two men are the same height. They are both blond and have the Nordic sky-blue eyes. They both look like they could kill you with just one blow. Whether that be fist, sword or look. If I was a betting man, and just wait until I dish this dirt with my darling daughter-in-law, I would bet that when it just came down to physical stamina, the Hedrad Befalhavar would be the last one standing. Did not mean my King could not out sneak you, although, this one looked like he had experience doing that, as well.

But this Eric, he was just bigger. Not taller, but definitely more rugged. More scars on his hands and probably on his body as well. And more muscle. Although the Hedrad Befalhavar had adapted through the centuries, in his soul and on his face he was still a Viking. A Viking looking to start and end a fight.

"My king is approaching," I smiled. "This way please, perhaps to an out of the way corner." I turned to the barkeep. "Send someone over now with Smithwicks," and I may have used a little glamour just to hurry things along.

Both blonds watched each other as they approached, nodded, and then sat down in a booth.

"My King," I bowed with a grand flourish, "this is the Hedrad Befalhavar Eric Northman, of the Northman Clan and his honored brother, Samuel, the Da'vid. Hedrad Befalhavar and honored brother, this is my King of the Fae, Eric Northman. "

"Who is the traitor?" the Hedrad Befalhavar asked.

"Compton," my king replied. "With great delight and on camera I ended his ass. This past All Hallow's Eve, this stupid fucker came slithering up out of Hell and we showed him a very good time, complete with pelting him with monkey shit."

The Hedrad chuckled. "_The Wizard of Oz_. A family favorite." The Hedrad was once more all business. "How goes your reign? Are your enemies defeated?"

"Yes.," my king smiled. "And for you?"

"Yes," his grin covered his face. "It was most toothsome."

Both men chuckled.

Then the Hedrad's mood shifted. "Mother, get your ass here," he hissed. There appeared at the table the lady of the light. I have known her for an age. In her eyes she holds love and secrets.

"Gabriel," my king nodded to her.

"You know her?" and there was something that sounded like payback in the Hedrad's voice.

"Yes, she was a dancer at my club."

"Fangtasia," both men said together and nodded in agreement and stated, "good for a suck and fuck." Smiling at each other, you could see they were happy to be gone from those times and clicked their beer bottles, together.

"Dancer..." the Hedrad nodded his head. "That makes sense."

"Yes, she could really power around on that pole," my king said. "A couple of times I thought maybe she was vamp."

"Pole...dancer..." the Hedrad glared and dropped his fangs. "You...you saw her dance on a pole...ah, ah...ah, my brother, are you hearing this...a pole dancer...my babies get their blessings and kisses from a pole dancer...that dances at Fantasia!"

"My son," she smiled sweetly at him. "Bite me," she gave him the finger and then popped out.

"Is she fae?" my king asked.

"No," the Hedrad rolled his eyes, "you would never guess it from her rude and vulgar mouth, but she is the arch angel Gaber-iel."

The smile on my king lit his face. "She is the mentor of my maker, who is my family's guardian angel."

"Your maker?" the Hedrad leaned in. "Who was your maker?"

"Godric," he smiled.

"Good, most good," the Hedrad smiled. "Mine is in Hell. I know my brother Samuel has watched him on the Hell Channel."

"Hell Channel?" my king asked.

"Yes, Mother showed us how to dial in."

"Oh?" my king replied. "Really?"

"Yes, it is most satisfying to see who is there. It is always most satisfying to see Compton. There are one or two that shock me still. Did you know Grady?"

"Why yes," my king leaned in. "He was responsible for getting me out of Nazi Germany."

"Well, apparently he was very selective about who he got out of Nazi Germany. If you were Jewish, you did not get out."

"Oh," my king replied lost in thought as he looked at brother Samuel. ""That would explain many things. My Samuel, he never did care for him. Now I will be able to tell him why.

But let us speak of more pleasant things. Have you a family?"

"Well, yes, " and I knew at that moment that this Eric also had dragon blood in his veins. I saw him preening. That was a very dragon-ee move that he just exhibited as he shook his braids and sat up straighter and flexed those muscles in his arms. Undoubtedly his abs as well, although we could not see them. "My Sookie, she has blessed me with seven sets of twins. Our daughter is always born first, followed by my son."

"Since when?" My king asked.

Twenty and o' seven," The Hedrad smiled, his pride evident.

"My Sookie and I have three. We have only been parents for not yet two years. Our son Hunter is a joy and his brother and sister, Alrik Ericsson and Signy Adele, sadly they are small replicas of me in all ways. They are so sweet," he laughed. "Because of their small and loving ways, I have the deep and desiring need to see my Sookie once more filled with my babies. I will have to do some sweet talking."

Both of them wiggled their eyebrows and grinned. "It is just damn fucking good to be Eric Northman," they said together and clicked their beer bottles."

...

"There is still some death to be swallowed and swallow it I will!" OI's battle cry shook the valley as he came screaming in on the air currents that were blazing with dragon fire and killed the ones that held his beloved son Wallace under water.

They all heard the woman's rage that rent the air! With a desperate pull he separated his son from the vegetation that held him and he was airborne as Wallace's mother, Sterling, was spewing curses and wielding the dragon tooth sword that he had fashioned and gifted to her.

Their son, bedraggled and bloodied, he held in his arms as he watched his boy's fearless mother destroy all those that were left. Those that did not have the good sense to flee, their blood feed the ground. When she had finished, he shifted to dragon and set fire to all that were no more. When the last of their ash had blown, away, he settled back into a male form and sat next to his son and Sterling.

"I will see to him," her voice was still. "He will be expected back at court, tomorrow. I must start so that he will appear in good spirits when Mab comes sniffing around."

"Thank you," he regarded the witch who had broken every law when she cursed those and slew them. Not that he had not broken all of them, himself, multiple times over.

Taking to the air, he returned to his lair in the River of Stone.

Curling up before his cold fireplace, he wept for what had been lost and this madness that cursed his beloved land. His sorrow could not be controlled as tears for his wife puddled on the floor. His beloved, Cam, who had sacrificed herself to the madness so that Mab's insane sister would die.

And then, tonight. He had been so careless. His misery was all that he could see and he was blinded to all else.

Before he had felt his son's call for help, he had broken with this body and was making his way home...to the end of of all the stars and beyond. He had followed the path and longed to once more be flooded with the light! He was so tired of war. And killing...and how soulless he felt. So tired...just tired.

Then the ache was gone and he was shooting past all the stars when he felt the pull of his son. Then the unthinkable! His Wallace's light was being extinguished!

And OI knew he had forgotten that life was worth only what you thought was worth fighting for.

"No," he had bellowed as he felt the joy that was Wallace begin to leave this world. In a place where there was no joy to be spared, his Wallace was needed. As OI fell back into his body, he had a vision. And what a glorious vision it was! He was somewhere with his bonded and his King Evan and Queen Sookie and their Prince Hunter! The prophecies his king had written for his queen were all true! This place must hold his heart because his bonded was there!

Mab would be defeated! He knew not how or when, but death awaited her and his King and Queen would live, again!

As Wallace had hovered between life and death, one more second was all he had asked for. Hoped for. Just one.

With spirit and body once more joined, with all that he was he jumped through the tatters of the bond to his son and he was there, spewing his vengeance at those who sought to destroy what was his!

That was all that was required. Just one more second...he could hold these traitorous bastards for the blink of an eye with all that he was. He was about to burn out, but he would not let them take this son as well and walk away victorious. He would flame until he vaporized and end them as well.

He had been careless and it had been close. He shivered in his skin at his foolish ways.

But his Wallace had lived and his wail of pain and pride could not be held within him. The night echoed back not his pain, but the war drums of another clan, announcing that that had chosen a side. Sniffing the air, this battle was once more his. He would fight it with all that he was.

He whispered to the wind. "Thank you oh Creator of the Light for just one more second," and he went outside and admired the stars. These were not the stars where his bonded, lived. But they would do for now. "Needs to starts makin's the mo' fon's Deaths from Aboves," he smiled into the night. "And whens I gets to wheres I am goin's that mo' fo'n traitor Compton, his ass is mine. Monkey shit shall be flung! And just not ones or twos or threes! No sirs. Enough to bury your mo' fo'n traitor's ass. And the Hell Channel, just waits until I tells my king about this!"

**Bon Temps, present day. The old Stackhouse Farmhouse**

"My big mans," OI was busy watching the brownies in the oven. "They is dones. I can smells the doneness. "

"Mr. Hunter wants'm warms from the ovens so he can shares with his Grandpapas, Mr. Godric. Now, they likes their milks ice colds with them warm brown goodnesses so let us just be takin's that gallon out of the freezer that has been chillin for these past few ticks and tocks.

"I is openin's the door and they is comin's on out," OI said.

Lafayette came into the kitchen and stopped. "My little man's what is it youse is doin's lookin' intos that oven?"

"Watchin'n the fire," he said as he fluttered up and adjusted the temp to its biggest flame.

"My little man's that is just an unnatural fascinations you has with that oven these here past few days and a bits. What?" Lafayette laughed, "You thinks you is watchin' the Hell Channel?"

"What?" OI said and looked up. "My big mans...what?"

"Why, lookin' in the glass, watchin' the flames, I am just wonderin's...you watchin' the Hell Channel?"

"My big mans, youse been glamoured?"

"Well yes, his La La fineness was whammied once or twice that I knows of. Most vamps not willin to tell you that, though."

"I think I dones been whammied."

"My little mans," Lafayette held out his hands and watched as his bonded landed, there. "Yous is OI, King of the Dragons. No ones can puts the whammy on yous."

"Someone cans cause someone dids. My big mans, there is a Hell Channel."

"What?" Lafayette took a step back. "Mr. Erics done has this house wired with premium cable and fae and we gots no Hell channel."

"I knows. I been whammied and we has been cheated. We could be watchin' that mo'fo'n Compton on the Hell Channel."

"Well, Mr. Godric is sure nuff comin' our way shortlies. We'll be askin."

Godric knew he was the center of attention. He and Hunter had their dessert, had gone for a walk and had played fort. They had read a new book and he had signed Hunter's reading log and now he sat and rocked him in comfortable silence. Hunter had been asleep for a while but it was such a joy to hold his small body and take comfort in the fact that he stood watch over his family.

"Lafayette has something he wants to ask you," Sookie said when she peeked in.

"I know," he smiled. "I will put our young man to bed, kiss the babies and then I shall stop off and see him on my way out."

Godric walked into the kitchen the same time Eric and Sookie, did.

"Lafayette," Godric addressed him. "What may I do for you?"

"Nots for me, Mr. Godrics, but for my little mans."

"Yes OI," he smiled. "What is required?"

"O' Keeper of the Light," he bowed deeply, "I has been whammied and I knows there is a Hell Channel."

"What?" Godric asked.

"What?" Eric said.

"Fucking all right," Sookie grinned. "What do we have to do to get it? I want to see Compton toasting his ass."

All the men looked at Sookie with their mouths open, just a bit.

"No," she said. "I am all about just desserts. And I want King Boob-a-la to have his and if I can watch, I am in. Now, how do we sign up?"

They were all looking expectantly at Godric.

"Gabriel said that when the time was right, you would remember, her dear friend, OI."

The dragon smiled. "I has not seens her in an age and an age."

"She has not forgotten you," he grinned. "Often she had commented on your charm and wit."

The King of the Dragons sat up and preened, glad that his eyebrows were once more perfect. Flexing his muscles, he knew he was a handsome fellow.

"Let me explain to you how the Hell Channel works, " Godric began as he picked up the remote.

"


End file.
